


Seeing in Color

by mammothluv



Category: Wire in the Blood
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-13
Updated: 2010-07-13
Packaged: 2017-10-10 13:02:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/100066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mammothluv/pseuds/mammothluv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After 6.02 "Falls the Shadow," Tony wants to replace something Alex gave him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeing in Color

**Author's Note:**

> Wire in the Blood belongs to Val McDermid and Costal Productions. I'm not making any profit and no copyright infringement is intended.

Tony pauses to watch Alex for a moment before opening the door. She's focused enough on her work that she's not yet noticed his presence and he enjoys these rare moments when he can observe her uninterrupted.

She's restlessly tapping the pen in her hand on her desk as she reads whatever is in front of her. He takes a moment to study the fall of her hair across her shoulders, the white flash of her teeth as she bites her bottom lip in concentration.

When he does open the door the sound is enough to pull her attention from her work. She looks up at him and the corners of her mouth curl up just a little bit; she seems distracted but pleased to see him.

"Tony, come in." She motions him into the room with the hand that's holding the pen and wastes no time before asking, "How are you? Have you been back to the doctor?"

"I have and I'm just fine," he assures her. The truth is he's still a little sore and worn out but telling her will only make her worry more than she already is.

She squints at him, as if she's taking stock, trying to determine if he's telling the truth. He watches her eyes linger on the top of his forehead where a faint bruise is still just barely visible.

"Really, Alex, I'm doing well. The doctor gave me a clean bill of health. You do excellent CPR it seems." His voice slips into a teasing tone on the last bit, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Alex.

"Good," she responds, her voice warm. And, though he can tell he's not entirely relieved her worry, she visibly relaxes and leans back in her chair as she continues, "I'm glad but I'd appreciate if we could avoid situations that require me to exercise my CPR skills on you in the future."

"I'll do my best," he replies as he leans against her filing cabinet and tries to determine how best to present what he's brought her. Now that he's here, he's beginning to question whether this is good idea. A heady nervous feeling, one he now associates almost solely with her, has settled in the pit of his stomach.

Alex breaks the silence before he's had a chance to sort out his approach. "Well, what can I do for you? I wasn't expecting you."

"No," he confirms, his mind still running through various approaches to what he's come to do. "You weren't."

When he doesn't continue she raises an eyebrow in inquiry.

"Right," he says. "I have something for you. Didn't know when I'd see you next. Didn't want to forget."

He fishes around in his blue bag, willing his hands not to shake, until he finds a much smaller bag, white with the word 'Lancôme' on the front in large black letters. He hands it to her and then retreats to the sofa across from her desk, taking a seat.

Alex eyes the bag suspiciously for a moment before reaching inside. Her face betrays her puzzlement when she pulls out a single lip liner. "What?" she asks as she studies the makeup in her hand with an intensity Tony previously thought she reserved only for evidence at crime scenes.

"Is it the right one?" he asks, his uncertainty at both the shade and the gesture growing in light of her response.

She glances up at him, confusion still evident on her features.

"You gave me yours, remember? To write on my cell walls with." He lifts one hand and mimes writing on her wall.

"Yeah, but I told you there was no need to replace them. Payment for family therapy and helping with my case remember?"

"I do. Trust me, I'm certainly not replacing all of them. I thought you were kidding about them being twenty quid each. Christ, Alex, you had at least ten of them in your purse. That's a small fortune."

She grins at this. "Yeah, bit of an expensive habit I'm afraid. So, if you aren't replacing them all, why this one?" She waves the lip liner, a dusky pink that's so dark it's nearly red, in his direction. He's momentarily distracted recalling the way the shade looks on her lips.

"Is it the right one?" he asks again.

She glances at it again. "Bordeaux. Yeah, this is one I wear."

"Oh, good," he says, glad to have one worry relieved. "I wasn't sure. Had to describe it at a few makeup counters before I found the right one. One woman seemed to think I was hitting on her. I was lucky you didn't have to bail me out of mall security again."

A look of disbelief has settled on Alex's face and Tony takes a deep breath. He's already given her the gift. He may as well go all in and explain.

"It's just that one's my favorite and I wanted to be sure you got it again."

"It's your favorite?" she repeats her eyes never leaving his. He tries desperately to read her expression.

"Well, yeah, it's nice on you." It's more than nice, honestly. He'd first noticed the color when talking to her in the hallway after an interrogation, the dusky shade perfectly complimenting the slight flush of her cheeks. He's been particularly fond of it ever since. But, now, he stops himself from elaborating. He's always wary of betraying just how much attention he pays to her.

She's completely still for a second, her eyes locked with his and her lips parted slightly. Then she smiles the most brilliant smile, her tongue just barely darting out between parted lips the way it does when she's truly happy. He feels an overwhelming sense of relief and joy that this isn't a completely out of line gesture and, in fact, he seems to have done something right.

"You actually went to several makeup counters and described my lip color?" she asks, a laugh escapes from her lips at the end of the question and she puts a hand to her mouth to quiet it.

"Well, I didn't see how else I was going to find it. In the end, a lovely young lady named Allison was my saving grace; she knew just what I was talking about."

"How exactly did you describe..." Alex begins. She leans forward in her chair, placing both elbows on her desk and resting her head on her hands.

Her question is interrupted by a knock and Kevin opens the door just wide enough to poke his head in. "Boss, we got that warrant. Oh, hi, Doctor Hill," he says as he notices Tony's presence. "Thought you'd want to know so we could get over there and have a look at the records before the end of the work day."

"Yeah, Kev. Thanks. I'll be out in five," Alex replies. Kevin nods and is gone.

"You've got to go. I've taken up enough of your time." Tony's not sure whether to be upset for Kevin for interrupting or grateful to him for giving him a chance to escape on a high note. He's up and nearly to the door before Alex's voice stops him.

"Wait, Tony, before you go, Ben's been asking about having you by for dinner again sometime soon. Friday, maybe?"

He turns to face her once more and he's sure the excitement is evident in his voice when he says, "I'd like that, Alex."

"I'll even wear my Bordeaux," she says as she twirls the lip liner between her fingers and gives him a grin that can only be described as mischievous, flirtatious even he dares hope for just a second but dismisses the thought as quickly as it comes.

It's on impulse that he offers her a wink and replies with, "I was hoping." He's rewarded by the sound of her laughter behind him as he walks away.

It's worth far more than twenty quid.


End file.
